


Fading Marks

by LittleRookie



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - School, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Hate to Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-08-20 12:10:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8248307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleRookie/pseuds/LittleRookie
Summary: Max is new at FIA academy. He is supposed to share his room with Daniel. But that means Daniil has to move out. And if it wasn't just this there also is the problem that both Max and Dany have incomplete soulmarks...





	

**Author's Note:**

> I really like the concept of soulmates so I decided to write a story with it. It got longer than I expected...  
> Have fun :)

Dany is about three and a half years old when he gets his soulmark. He notices when there is an itchy feeling on his left wrist. He stares in awe as black lines draw themselves on his arm and form a beautiful shaped M. Next to it sits a tiny flag however it is blank. There is no colour and no shapes in it which could tell from which country the flag comes from. When Dany shows the mark to his mother she proudly acknowledges the letter but frowns when she sees that the flag is blank. Dany asks his mother what’s wrong and she sadly looks at her son.  
“Normally you would see which country your soulmate is from. It is uncommon that the flag is blank.” She shows him her own soulmark a nicely drawn V with the Russian flag next to it. Dany stares at his mother’s mark then on his own. He wonders why his flag doesn’t show any colours. Tears are forming in his eyes. Will he be able to find his soulmate if he doesn’t know where he or she comes from? His mother notices his discomfort and hugs him close.  
“Don’t worry, Dany. I’m sure you will find your soulmate. You still have a letter.” Dany sniffs and cuddles into his mum. He hopes that she is right.

***

When Max is born he already has his soulmark but it is not complete. His parents stare at the tiny Russian flag but wonder where the letter is which normally comes together with the flag. They look over his body but there is nothing else then the flag in the colours white, blue and red.  
Max grows up with the stories of how to find your soulmate told by his parents but whenever he asks why he only has a flag but no letter his parents go silent and after a while they tell him that they don’t know. It makes Max very upset and so he decides that he would be better off when he hides his incomplete mark. He doesn’t want the other children to make fun of him. He still has the hope that he will find his soulmate. Perhaps he or she would have only half the mark, too. He has to have a soulmate otherwise he wouldn’t have a mark at all his parents assure him. He believes them. And he hopes.

***

Dany is in his third year at the FIA Academy an international school with a very good reputation. He really likes it there and he has a lot of friends. His closest friends are the guys he shares an apartment with: Daniel and Carlos. Although it is common that always four people will share an apartment there are only the three of them since one of them, Sebastian, decided to change some of his studies. So he was asked to move in with three people who have similar schedules. Sebastian reluctantly agreed but he saw it was for the better. Perhaps Dany, Dan and Carlos will get a new flatmate this year.  
Dany strolls around the corridors taking in the feeling of being in school again after summer greeting people here and there and enjoying the calm before the storm when he suddenly bumps into one of his schoolmates.  
“Oh, here you are Dany, I’ve been looking for one of you.” Stoffel Vandoorne says as he smiles at the Russian. Dany raises an eyebrow.  
“Why were you looking for me?”  
“I just ran into Dr Marko.” Stoffel says. “He wants you and your flatmates to come to his office at three o’clock in the afternoon.”  
“Thanks!” Dany tells Stoffel. The Belgian smiles one more time then disappears into one of the corridors. Dany makes his way back to his apartment, where he finds his roommate Dan.  
“We are supposed to go to Marko at three.” He tells him. Dan looks at him with a frown.  
“What? School hasn’t even started and we are already being summoned by Marko? What have we done this time?” Dany chuckled. It is true: They had to see their teacher lots of times last year. Well, they just want to have fun, where was the harm in that?  
“What is it? We have to see Marko already? Why?” Carlos chimes in coming through the door at this moment. Dany shrugs his shoulders.  
“I don’t know. But think of it: Perhaps you get a new roommate, Carlitos!” Carlos scowls at Dany.  
“Don’t call me that.” He snaps playfully at him. Dany only smirks in response and disappears in his room. They still have time before they have to see their teacher.

When three o’clock comes round the three of them march through the corridors to the office of Dr Helmut Marko. When they reach the well-known door Dany looks at his friends.  
“I’m not going to go in there first!” He exclaims. After all he didn’t know why they really were summoned.  
“Me neither!” Carlos added in a hurry which leaves Dan huffing in annoyance. He turns towards the door and knocks. Almost immediately there is a voice to be heard.  
“Come in!” Dan turns the doorknob and pushes the door open. The three of them were greeted by Dr Marko and were told to sit on the chairs (which by the way weren’t comfortable at all!) and wait.  
“I suppose he is a little bit late.” Marko says but in exact this moment there is a knock on the door and the teacher goes to open it. Outside there stands a boy clearly a few years younger than the three of them with a cap on his head and a cuff on his left wrist. Dr Marko ushers him in and tells him to sit on the remaining chair. When the boy is seated the teacher turns to Dany, Dan and Carlos.  
“This is Max Verstappen. He is new in our school he originally is from The Netherlands. Max, this is Daniel Ricciardo, Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz. You can introduce yourself properly later. Max has similar studies as you three so we decided he will share your apartment. As he is a new student we see it fit that the oldest of you will have to take care of him. Daniel that would be you. We would like it if you could share a room with Max so Daniil you will have to move into Carlos’ room. Well, that’s all about it. You can go now.”

Dany is speechless. Why does he have to move for this kid? Anger burns through him but he knew he cannot say something to Dr Marko about this. It would only cause trouble and Dany doesn’t want trouble before the year even started. It’s not like he didn’t like Carlos or mind sharing a room with him but it angers him that Marko decided this all on himself. The walk to their apartment is awkward. Dan and Carlos notice the sour mood of Dany and Max also senses that there is something wrong so nobody says anything.  
When they get to their apartment Dany immediately goes into his and Dan’s room and begins to pack his things. Luckily most of them were still in his suitcases because he wasn’t in the mood to unpack earlier so he only has to go a few times and all his belongings were soon in Carlos’ room. No in Carlos’ and _his_ room. It will take some time to get used to that. When he has moved everything he possesses he flops onto his new bed buries his head in the pillow and groans. He feels that someone is sitting on the bed next to him when the mattress dips. A hand is stroking his hair and when he looks up he sees Carlos sitting there with a crooked smile on his face. Dany sighs.  
“I’m sorry, Carlos.” He says. “It’s not about you it’s just I don’t like it when Marko makes his moves you know.” His new roommate nods.  
“I know Dany don’t worry. But we’re still going to have fun, aren’t we?” Dany smiles a little bit.  
“Of course.” He assures Carlos which makes the Spaniard smile in return.

***

The weeks fly by and Dany gets used to sharing a room with Carlos. It’s easy to live with him and they have a lot of fun. He still talks to Dan and hangs out with him but he avoids Max like the plague. He still doesn’t like the kid with his perfect grades and the brilliant smile. He only talks to him when absolutely necessary but makes no move to get to know him further. Dan and Carlos get along well with the Dutch and they start to feel a little bit torn between their two flatmates. So they decide that they have to do something about that. And so they are sitting together and think about things that Dany and Max have in common. Dan sighs in a frustrated manner.  
“I don’t know anything about what those two could connect.” He says subconsciously rubbing over his wrist where an intricate S is sitting next to the German flag. Carlos frowns but suddenly he is struck with an idea.  
“Your soulmark!” He shouts which makes Dan cringe.  
“What about it?” He asks not knowing what his soulmark has to do with Dany and Max. Carlos points at it.  
“Didn’t you notice? They both wear cuffs around their wrists. They are hiding their soulmarks. That is at least one thing they have in common. Dan snorts.  
“You expect them to talk about their soulmarks with each other? Are you crazy? They despise each other well at least Dany does so he absolutely will not tell Max anything about his mark!” Carlos rolls his eyes.  
“Of course they will not tell each other about them but perhaps they talk to _us_. I’m going to ask Dany and you are going to ask Max all right?” Dan frowns.  
“I don’t know. What if they wear those cuffs for a reason? Perhaps they don’t want anybody to see their soulmarks? What if they don’t _have_ a soulmark?” Carlos waves it off.  
“Oh come on Dan we have to do something about those two. And it’s really the only thing they have in common. Dan weighs his options. He could talk Carlos out of this idea and would have to watch further on how Dany and Max don’t get along. Or he could go with Carlos’ idea and hope that it would be the topic those two can connect over. Finally he sighs.  
“Okay we will ask them. But if this goes wrong it’s on you!” Carlos grins.  
“Understood!”

***

Dan is sitting on his bed reading a book when Max comes into their room and flops onto his bed with a deep sigh. Dan looks up.  
“What’s wrong, Maxy?” He asks. Normally he would get a dark look for using the nickname he has given his roommate but not his time. Max only pushes himself up and looks at Dan with a pitiful expression on his face.  
“What are the odds that you find your soulmate at this school? I swear I saw at least four couples making out on my way down here. Do they have to do this in public?” Dan laughs at Max which earns him a glare. He holds up his hands in a ‘Sorry’ gesture and starts to explain.  
“I don’t know why it is this way but it’s true: The odds of finding your soulmate are really high in this school. Almost every year there are at least two new couples. It’s really great.”  
Max fiddles with his cuff. His expression turns from interested to sad. Dan gets up and sits down next to his roommate.  
“Hey what’s wrong, mate?” Max doesn’t say anything but Dan notices a few tears shimmering in the Dutch’s eyes. Carefully he reaches out to him and hugs him. They sit like this for a while until Max straightens up and tries to get his cuff open. He removes it hesitates a little bit but then shows Dan the mark on his skin. It is incomplete. There only is a tiny flag in the colours of Russia on his wrist but no letter attached. Dan frowns when he sees it. Max pulls away his arm and clips the cuff back in place. The he turns to Dan.  
“It is incomplete since my birth. I don’t know why it is like this. Neither do my parents. But I have to have a soulmate if I got a flag, true?” Dan shrugs.  
“I don’t know, mate. I’m sorry. But we will figure it out, okay? I promise!” With that he pulls Max closer and lets him cry on his shoulder.

***

It is their free evening of the week and Dany and Carlos decide to go out together. They go to one of the clubs which are set up for the students and grab a beer. They have a fun time and stay until late. When it’s close to midnight they decide to return to their flat but at the door they get hold up by an older student who is clearly drunk. He is about to get out of the door but stumbles and falls. He tries to hold on to something or someone and it happens to be Dany who stands closest by. The student grabs at his hand but fails to catch it he manages to tear the cuff off Dany wears on his wrist though. He drunkenly apologizes and wanders off. Carlos picks up the cuff lying on the floor and hands it to Dany who has his right hand firmly placed over the spot where his soulmark is supposed to sit. Dany nods a quick thanks and hastily pulls the cuff on his wrist again. Their way back to the apartment is silent.  
When they arrive in their room Carlos has worked his courage up and turns to Dany.  
“Can I ask you something?” He reluctantly speaks up. Dany looks at him.  
“Of course. What’s up?” Carlos points at Dany’s wrist.  
“Why do you wear a cuff?” Dany suddenly looks uncomfortable and doesn’t say anything for a while. Carlos shuffles around his bed.  
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to pry!” Dany shakes his head.  
“No it’s okay. Well, see for yourself.” Dany takes off the cuff and shows his wrist to his roommate. Carlos looks at the beautiful shaped M and the blank flag next to it. He frowns.  
“Why is your flag blank?” He asks confused and shoves up his sleeve to look at his own letter a proudly outstanding K with the Danish flag next to it. Dany’s shoulders drop.  
“I don’t know. It was like this since I got my mark. I asked my mother but she didn’t know either.” Carlos thinks for a moment.  
“When did you get your mark?” He then asks Dany. His roommate thinks it over.  
“When I was three and half a year old.” He answers.  
Carlos doesn’t say anything. But the wheels in is head start to click in place.

***

A couple of days later when Dan and Carlos are sure that Dany and Max are away for a while they meet up in their shared living room.  
“So” Dan says. “What did you find out, mate?” Carlos leans forward.  
“Dany’s mark is incomplete. He only has a letter it’s an M. There is a flag next to it but it is blank.” Dan nods.  
“Max’s mark is incomplete also. He only has the flag. It’s the Russian flag.” Carlos squeals at this.  
“I knew!” He shouts. “I knew it. I knew those two are soulmates. Just think of it: Dany has an M and Max has the Russian flag. They are meant to be together.” Dan smiles at the enthusiasm of his flatmate.  
“I did some research.” He then tells Carlos. “I read that it can happen that you don’t like your soulmate at first. It’s rather uncommon but there is a slight chance. If that’s the case it depends on the soulmates. If they continue to hate each other their marks will disappear completely. But when they eventually fall in love with each other their marks will become whole.” Carlos gasps.  
“But then we have to help them. I don’t want them to lose their soulmate!” Dan nods in agreement.  
“We have a slight advantage here: Dany doesn’t like Max – yet – but with Max I’m sure it’s not the same. He really would like to get to know Dany he has told me this just a few days ago. So we only have to convince Dany.”  
“What do you have me to convince for?” Comes a deep voice from the door. Dan and Carlos flinch at it. They turn and see Dany standing there his bag on his shoulder which he now tosses away. Then he comes to the sofa and flops down next to Carlos.  
“What’s this all about?” He asks again when he didn’t get an answer. Finally Dan speaks up.  
“Listen Dany we were talking about you and Max. We like you both and we don’t like it to be torn apart between the two of you. Could you consider it talking to him?” Dany stays silent for a while.  
“Why should I? He finally asks. Carlos reaches out and touches his shoulder.  
“We… we figured something out which could be interesting for you.” Dany raises his eyebrow.  
“And what would this be?” Carlos taps at his cuff.  
“We might know why you only have half of the mark. Dan?” Dan tells Dany what he has read about soulmates and Dany listens but makes no further sign of understanding. So Carlos speaks up again.  
“We discovered that Max also has an incomplete mark. And … it is the Russian flag.” At this Dany gasps shock written across his face. Then he frantically starts to shake his head.  
“No! No this can’t be. That’s impossible.” He jumps up and starts to pace.  
“You must be wrong he can’t be my soulmate I hate him!” Suddenly he flinches. There is a sharp pain on his left wrist. He tears his cuff off and stares at his soulmark. The outlines of the flag suddenly fade away. Dany looks on in horror when his mark begins to disappear right in front of his eyes. Carlos and Dan did notice to and their faces show an equal amount of horror as they look at Dany’s fading mark. Finally Carlos hits Dany on the arm.  
“You idiot! Go and find Max before this is going to get worse!” Dany only nods and flees the room. He has to find the Dutch.  
Dan and Carlos stay behind. All they can do now is to cross their fingers for Max and Dany.

***

Max is sitting on a bench deep in thought. He really likes the school and he gets along well with most of the students except one. He absent-minded rubs his wrist he has pulled his cuff off and is looking now on his incomplete soulmark with sadness. Since the moment he has learned that Dany is from Russia he had gotten his hopes up that he would be his soulmate. But the Russian avoided him at all cost and so Max never had the chance to get to know him properly.  
A sudden sting tears him away from his thoughts. He looks in shock at his mark when he sees that the red bar on the bottom is slowly fading away. Frantically he rubs over it. What’s wrong with him? What’s wrong with his mark? What does it mean when it starts to fade away?  
“Max!” He suddenly hears a voice shouting out. When he looks up he sees Dany running towards him a look of fright on his face. When he reaches Max he doesn’t hesitate and pulls the younger one into his arms. The pain in May’s wrist stops as fast as it was there. He doesn’t know what to do but after a while he awkwardly hugs Dany back. They stay like this for a while until Dany withdraws.  
“I’m sorry Max!” He blurts out. “I’m sorry I didn’t realise it further. I hope it isn’t too late already.” Max only stares at him in confusion and Dany sighs.  
“Can… can we sit down. I would like to explain everything to you.” Max only nods and they sit on the bench. Dany reaches for Max’s hand and squeezes it lightly. Then he starts to explain.  
“When you were designed to live with us you surely noticed that I was beyond angry that day. I assure you it wasn’t dedicated to you at the beginning. It’s just I don’t go well with the way Dr Marko decides things. But it was easier for me to let my anger out on you. So I avoided you wanted nothing to do with you. But as time went by I noticed little things like the way you smile and it was getting harder to hate you. Still I refused to admit to myself that I was slowly falling for you. It was Dan and Carlos who told me today that they think we are soulmates. When I denied it and claimed that I hated you I suddenly felt a sharp pain on my wrist and saw my mark fading away. I think this was the moment when I admitted to myself that we are destined for each other. I’m sorry that I have been a dick to you. Will you forgive me?” Max listens to this all and when Dany is finished he reaches out his hand and touches Dany’s face. He’s surprised when he feels a tear sliding down Dany’s cheek. When Dany doesn’t say anything Max slowly leans in and presses a chaste kiss to Dany’s lips. Warmth washes over his body and his soulmark tingles. When he looks down at it he watches in awe as black lines form themselves into a marvellous carved D. Dany gasps and holds out his arm. The flag formerly blank is now beaming in the colours red, white and blue. Their marks are finally complete!  
Tears spring to Max’s eyes as they lean in at the same time and Dany’s lips are on his again. He realises Dany is crying too and he isn’t ashamed of it because they were so close to lose their soulmate but found each other just in time.  
And now they have the rest of their lives together. What more could you ask for?


End file.
